The study concludes that overall, the dimensions of buildings and plots influence demolition primarily. Spatial centrality and building and street functionality affect building use change most. Centrality, geometric dimensions and functionality affect building modifications. Buildings, however, adapt differently as the town centres experience various development stages. Typical of the initial stage is physically malleable high streets. The second stage is characterized by dispersed changes. The latest stage by consolidating high streets and clustered redevelopment.
The two centres studied, South Norwood and Surbiton are extrinsically similar, but are found out to be disparate morphological types. They have adapted dissimilarly to urban expansion. One adheres to arterial roads, the other is offset from arteries and highlights local connectivity. The study suggests that although high spatial centrality stimulates change in buildings, independence from arterial roads with high through traffic potential renders a small urban centre robust against the impacts of urban densification. It preserves the building stock in a more physically adaptive state and enabling longer continuity in building uses in the high streets: the generation of diversity.
In general, lower-level, changeability in buildings appears to contribute to the higher-level functional and social robustness of a centre: it stays in a state of continuing morphological transition and re-creates and maintains its potential for change. This vital source of self-sustainability is seems to be an essential ingredient of long-term urban viability.